Indian Head Cent 1885 G-VG

The year 1885 would forever change the face of New York City’s harbor. The Statue of Liberty crossed the Atlantic in over 200 crates, landing at the harbor in 350 pieces. The United States Playing Card company produced what would be its longest lasting brand, Bicycle Playing cards, in 1885. Cultural and racial troubles continued to plague the United States. The Rock Springs massacre, where white miners attacked Chinese coworkers, killed 28 and forced several hundred to relocate to other towns. Some of the Mint’s coins were losing popularity, despite the Mint’s continued production. The three cent nickel and $3 gold Liberty would soon be a coin of the past.

The mintage of Indian Head cents fell once again this year, and would continue to be a low the following year. It is believed that the 1885 and 1886 cents were made from the same planchet, one reason for the low mintage figures. This is considered one of the rarer coins from this period due to the low mintage. They were in circulation for a long time, so finding any in a higher grade is typically a difficult task. Any Mint State 1885 Indian Head cents are purely luck or from personal accumulation.

Despite the low circulation mintage figure, the Proof issue this year was rather high. Although over 3,700 were struck, this is considered a tougher date in the proof issue series. Many collectors in the nineteenth century collected proof issues and these today are gem proofs, however, finding a red proof has proven almost prohibitively difficult. Unfortunately for those collecting varieties, only a few minor, unpopular varieties are known. If you have any questions regarding the Indian Head Cent or varieties, please contact any of our knowledgeable staff at 800-735-1311, and we’ll be happy to assist you!

• Denomination: Cent
• Year: 1885
• Diameter: 19 mm
• Mint Mark: N/A
• Thickness: 1.5 mm
• Grade: Ungraded